And so it begins

[Smokin Okie]

I'm planning on going into the ground Thursday. Monday and Tuestday night are forecast to be right at freezing. If we get another freeze I will just cover.

First year I've used the fans for the entire growth, and I do think the plants have not gotten as tall and leggy this year. They're sort've a PITA , but I think its worth the investment.

 

[Fueling Around]

good luck on the cooler weather.

 

[Smokin Okie]

good luck on the cooler weather.

Our average date of last freeze is March 29th. But it seems we always have a late freeze before the end of April. It won't be a hard freeze though, it will be just below 32*. I've not seen anything under 28*.

I have 5 gallon buckets that do a good job of getting me through them. I also have row cover matierial if I need it.

But also, they don't do a lot till soil temps get over 60*. So it doesn't always help. I like to get them out of the house though, easier to take care of in the ground.

 

[02ebz06]

Lookin' good.

I have a ways to go. Last freeze day here is May 27.
Plants are just an inch to 3 inches high so far.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I was gonna go in the ground today, but rain yesterday may've made the garden too muddy. Depends on how fast it dries out.

But if not today, tomorrow and our 9 Day forecast looks good ............

 

[Smokin Okie]

Garden had dried out by noon. Got 24 plants in the ground. Weatherman is saying 37* next Tuesday night. Gonna sweat that it doesn't get any colder.

The plastic wrap is just to protect them from wind until they get established. We're gonna get 20 to 30 mph today with higher gusts.

People ask why I plant so many, and that's cause I never know what the weather will be like in May and June, which is my window for production. I raise them from seed, so why not.

When I tilled, I left a row of my winter cover, rye grass, for the rabbit that lives under my shed. He fed on the rye all winter. I would see him out there early every morning. Yeah, I've turned into an old softie. I left him enough to get through the rest of the winter, but that row is going to become peppers and cucumbers.

Next to the house is my cilantro bed that is currently bolting.

Next step is to rig the irrigation system and drive T-Posts beside the cages and fasten them with cable ties.

 

[Smokin Okie]

My tomato plants are setting fruit. I went in the ground on March 29, its taken four weeks. I might have an edible tomato by Memorial Day

 

[02ebz06]

We just planted ours 3 days ago. Hope they make it through though shock stage.

 

[DougE]

If it's going below 50° at night still, I won't set tomato plants out in the garden. The cold night time temps stunt them.

We usually get some nights where it actually gets to freezing, or near to freezing until about the second week of May. I know a lot of folks who set their plants out earlier than I do and mine start bearing fruit about the same time as theirs.

 

[Fueling Around]

Getting down to the final days before heading north for the summer. Picked up 2 Big Beef plants today at Wally World to bring home with my 6 Datil peppers. Watching the temps at home I won't be putting the ground until well after Mother's Days. I used to put in the ground at Mother's Day, but the past 10 years, I have barely made Memorial Day. What happened to global warming internet inventor?

 

[bradger]

Won't be starting mine for a few weeks yet. We can hit the freezing mark into May.

you must live same zone as me, may 15th is my safe date.

 

[02ebz06]

you must live same zone as me, may 15th is my safe date.

May 27th is ours. We put covers on them every night until they get established.
Then will only cover if there is chance of freezing.

 

[gmc2003]

We're still getting morning frost on the windshields.

 

[Smokin Okie]

We're still getting morning frost on the windshields.

Yeah, but my tomato growing season will be over by the Fourth of July. When daytime temps get over 90, the plants go through " blossom drop " and quit producing.

 

[indaswamp]

Planted my 'maters yesterday evening....set up my automatic water system today. 10 minutes every 4 days.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Planted my 'maters yesterday evening....set up my automatic water system today. 10 minutes every 4 days.

Probably the most knowledgeable tomato gardener I've ever ran across, would not water her tomatoes any more than to keep them alive. She said it stressed them, and when they got stressed they put on more fruit. She also said if ya water too much, the tomatoes will be watery and it weakens the flavor. She passed away from cancer a couple years ago.

But I followed her advise and I think I did not water enough. I've always thought the blight was killing my plants but it could be they just did not get enough water. I'm gonna increase my watering a little this year.

I've got an irrigation set up, but don't use it till June. This time of year, we get " cold " fronts about every 5 days that cause storms and we get rain. We get plenty enough rain for them till June.

 

[DougE]

Stressed plants do set more seed (fruit) .... think survival by passing on their genes onto the next generation. That said, you will get a more consistent crop throughout the growing season, even in temps above 90° by giving them adequate water.

Also grow indeterminate tomato varieties for season long harvest. Indeterminates will continue to produce until frost where as determinates pretty much give you one big crop and are done.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Stressed plants do set more seed (fruit) .... think survival by passing on their genes onto the next generation. That said, you will get a more consistent crop throughout the growing season, even in temps above 90° by giving them adequate water.

Also grow indeterminate tomato varieties for season long harvest. Indeterminates will continue to produce until frost where as determinates pretty much give you one big crop and are done.

Exactly, the stressed plant is thinking survival.

But plants won't produce fruit when temps get above 90*. The heat causes blossom drop. Its a thing, google it.

I grow indeterminate plants, have for the past 20 years. The facts are, if the heat doesn't get them the blight will. My plants are done by the end of July.

And there's no cure for the blight. I know, there's heat treatment, blah blah blah, I've been through everything including mulching the entire garden since the blight is soil borne.

To beat the blight, just over whelm it with numbers of plants, harvest what you can.

On top of all that, if a plant does survive the summer here, the tomatoes it produces in the fall are small and take a long time to mature. Its really not worth the effort.

If this is a bit testy, well, I don't need to be schooled on tomatoes. I've been at this a long time. I'm no nooby. But , thanks anyway.

 

[DougE]

Explain how I get fruit on my tomatoes above 90° then. It ain't a thing.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Here ya go, from Oklahoma State University